Chapter 0636: The Dire News

The outcome of war is always a mixture of joy and sorrow. The victors, naturally, will rejoice, but the defeated are left in desolation. 

Moreover, this final confrontation between Germany and the Allied fleets directly concerns the fates of the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. These nations have placed all their hopes on this war. Should they lose, they will have no other recourse left in this conflict.

In the British Admiralty, Churchill had locked himself in his office. His secretary had been instructed that, apart from the outcome of the naval battle, nothing else was to disturb him.

Churchill had invested all his efforts into this decisive battle. In order to restore Britain's ability to challenge the German navy, he had journeyed to the United States, using his persuasive talents to convince the American government to sell twelve active battleships to Britain. Though the cost was high, it provided an opportunity to confront the German navy once more. If they could seize this moment and defeat Germany, then even the steepest cost would be justified.

For the British Empire, its survival, or at the very least, the preservation of its core interests, depended on victory in this naval conflict. Failure, however, would have catastrophic consequences. The Empire might cease to exist as a global power, reduced to a third-rate nation. Such a fate was unacceptable to the British. Even surrender to Germany would entail exorbitant demands. If they fought to the bitter end, Germany's overwhelming strength could still destroy them, leaving Britain at Germany's mercy.

"May God bless the British Empire. We must defeat the Germans in this battle! This is our only chance!" Churchill silently prayed.

Indeed, this was Britain's final opportunity. If they failed now, it would spell the end of the nation. The combined fleet they had mustered was the last of Britain's naval might.

"Bang! Bang!" 

The office door was knocked, and Churchill, still lost in thought, was instantly brought back to reality.

"Has there been any news? May God bless the British Empire!" Churchill prayed again.

"Come in!" he called out.

The secretary entered, his face betraying unease, which immediately soured Churchill's mood. A terrible premonition swept over him; it seemed the Royal Navy had lost again. Despite his reluctance to accept it, he knew reality was unavoidable.

"Sir, this is a telegram from General Beatty," the secretary said.

"From General Beatty? What of Admiral Jellicoe?" Churchill asked, his brows furrowing, sensing something was terribly amiss.

"Admiral Jellicoe was killed in action," the secretary whispered.

Churchill froze, as if struck by lightning. The death of Admiral Jellicoe made it clear how disastrous the battle had been.

After a long silence, Churchill spoke, his voice strained: "Give me the telegram. You may leave."

"Yes, sir," the secretary replied, relieved to exit. Having read the telegram himself, he knew its contents and feared the anger Churchill would unleash upon reading it. He had wisely fled to avoid becoming a target of that fury.

Watching the secretary flee like a frightened rabbit, Churchill shook his head in resignation. It was now certain that the Royal Navy had suffered another defeat. Otherwise, the secretary wouldn't have been so visibly terrified.

Churchill opened the telegram and began to read. As he did, his face turned ashen, his fists clenched, trembling with rage. His anger was palpable.

"How could this have happened? We've lost all our capital ships and sunk only a single German battlecruiser. Is the German navy truly invincible?" Churchill bellowed in fury.

Outside the door, the secretary recoiled, relieved to have escaped in time. He was certain that Churchill's wrath would be unleashed in full force upon reading the news.

"Jellicoe chose to go down with his ship because he was utterly despondent! Damn the French and Italians! They fled the battle! Cowards, all of them!" Churchill raged.

Though he knew deep down that, even if the French and Italian navies had stayed, the Germans would have eventually wiped them all out, he could not bear to accept their cowardice.

"It's over! Completely over! The Royal Navy is finished, and so is the British Empire!" Churchill's eyes were bloodshot.

Before the battle, Churchill had feared the Royal Navy might fail, but he never imagined it would be such a catastrophic defeat. Though some smaller ships had escaped, what did it matter? The capital ships had been lost. Meanwhile, Germany's losses were negligible. Churchill was certain that, if Britain did not surrender, Germany would soon launch an invasion of the British Isles.

This crushing defeat was not only a blow to Churchill but to the entire British Empire. It signaled that all their efforts had been in vain and that they would lose the war.

After venting his frustration for a time, Churchill composed himself.

"Prepare the car. I'm going to Downing Street!" Churchill ordered.

"Yes, sir," the secretary hurriedly responded, setting arrangements in motion.

The failure of the Royal Navy could not be concealed any longer, and Churchill had to report this grim news to Prime Minister Asquith. The options left to the British Empire were rapidly diminishing.